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Why Tulane Green Wave fans should be bracing for a decline

By Austin Lloyd

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 02: Tyjae Spears #22 of the Tulane Green Wave celebrates with Alex Bauman #87 of the Tulane Green Wave after scoring a touchdown against the USC Trojans in the third quarter of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on January 02, 2023 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 02: Tyjae Spears #22 of the Tulane Green Wave celebrates with Alex Bauman #87 of the Tulane Green Wave after scoring a touchdown against the USC Trojans in the third quarter of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on January 02, 2023 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – SEPTEMBER 28: Corey Dauphine #6 of the Tulane Green Wave scores a touchdown as T.J. Carter #2 of the Memphis Tigers defends during the second half at Yulman Stadium on September 28, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – SEPTEMBER 28: Corey Dauphine #6 of the Tulane Green Wave scores a touchdown as T.J. Carter #2 of the Memphis Tigers defends during the second half at Yulman Stadium on September 28, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

The Green Wave has been dealt two lethal blows

There are two things a team should keep an eye on when approaching a season: its roster and its schedule. Unfortunately for Tulane, it seems to be troubled in both departments.

For starters, the Wave has lost some serious talent on both sides of the ball. Of its five statistical leaders from last year, only two will be returning in the fall (passing leader QB Michael Pratt and interceptions leader DB Jarius Monroe). Its leading rusher (RB Tyjae Spears), leading receiver (WR Shae Wyatt) and leading tackler (LB Dorian Williams) have all moved on to the NFL.

Especially with all of that failing to address the several undrafted free agents it produced, it’s safe to say that Tulane is looking like a shell of its 2022 self on paper.

As for the schedule, there is a visible inclusion of new faces—and mean ones—that make the Green Wave’s odds of meeting last year’s standard all the more difficult to bet on.

Its out-of-conference opponents make up the first four games on the slate, and they are far from a weak bunch. The Wave opens up hosting the South Alabama Jaguars (who won 10 games last season) and Ole Miss Rebels (an eight-win SEC squad). After that, it’s a road trip to Southern Mississippi (a team that has both a 2022 win over the Wave and a 1300-yard rusher in RB Frank Gore Jr.) before heading back home to face Nicholls State.

If Tulane isn’t careful, it could be staring down a 1-3 record before league play even begins. Speaking of which, that won’t exactly be a cakewalk either.

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